Suzuki to rejoin MotoGP in 2015

Frenchman Randy de Puniet was one of two riders in the saddle for Suzuki at a test event on Monday.

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Suzuki to rejoin MotoGP for the 2015 season

The Japanese manufacturer pulled out of the sport in 2011

Nobuatsu Aoki and Randy De Puniet rode for the team in Monday's test

Honda will return to Formula One in 2015, supplying engines to McLaren

Japan's re-emergence into global motorsport has gathered pace after Suzuki confirmed it will return to elite motorbike racing in 2015.

Suzuki withdrew from MotoGP at the end of the 2011 season, blaming the global recession for its decision to leave the sport, but has had a rethink to partly help develop its range of bikes.

"Suzuki Motor Corporation has organized its test team to undergo more practical running tests at its advanced development stage and will participate in the official joint testing to be held at the Catalunya circuit in Spain," said a Suzuki statement.

"Through continuing running tests at the circuits inside and outside Japan for further development and refinement, Suzuki will participate again in MotoGP racing from 2015.

"Suzuki will feed back advanced technology to be derived through MotoGP racing activity to develop further attractive production models."

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"I am satisfied because the first test at Motegi was quite good and now we are at a GP track, with most of the other riders and running in the same conditions," France's De Puniet told the sport's official website after Monday's first run.

"I think we did a great job because I'm only seven tenths slower than the best lap time today and after only 50 or 60 laps; all of the other riders have already been here for three days. I am satisfied, but think we could be even faster if we had one more day.

"Anyway, it's a good start because we now go to Aragon for a two-day test, so I really hope to do the same job and have the same feeling with the bike."